Patient satisfaction and digital health in primary health care: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: Using digital health in primary health care (PHC) contributes to reducing costs and travel time, achieving global development goals, improving access, quality and longitudinality of care, and managing health crises. Its evaluation must go beyond the technical-operational aspects to include patient satisfaction, a key element in assessing the quality of care. Objective: To identify and map patient satisfaction (expectations, desires, cultural values) about the adoption of digital health strategies and assess their impact on the quality of care in PHC. Methods: The review will follow the recommendations proposed by the Joanna's Briggs Institute (JBI) manual, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) and the methodology proposed by Arksey and O'Malley and Levac et al. and will be conducted in nine stages. The search will be conducted in health studies databases (MEDLINE via PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and BVS), gray literature, and preprint repositories (Google Scholar and MedRxiv). Two reviewers will select the studies, and the third will analyze possible conflicts. The inclusion criteria comprise studies that have been made available in their entirety, whether they are primary studies or short communications, as well as the following materials extracted from the gray literature: preprints, manuals, government documents, books, guidelines, theses and dissertations. Exclusion criteria include literature reviews, abstracts, books, conference archives, letters to the editor, duplicates and opinion articles. Data will be analyzed by content analysis and inferential statistics. This protocol is registered on the Open Science Framework (OSF) under DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/PUJDB. Results: The study aims to understand aspects related to the expectations, desires, and cultural values of patients from different countries, as well as the strengths and critical nodes of the use of digital health on the quality of care in PHC.

Preparation and validation of the instrument "QualiAPS digital-Brazil" for assessing digital health care in primary health care: a required tool.

Introduction: The use of Information and Communication Technologies in the field of health is increasing across the world, demarcating the field of digital health. The goal of this study is to formulate and validate a matrix of indicators, design assessment scripts and indicate data collection techniques for assessing the quality of digital health care in Brazilian Primary Health Care (PHC). Methodology: This is a validation study divided into three phases: preparation of the instrument, analysis of validity and pilot study. The instrument was prepared based on the PHC assessment model from a literature review; the analysis of validity used the Delphi technique associated with the nominal group and the evidence from the literature reference. In the pilot study, audio-recorded interviews were conducted with strategic primary care actors. Results: The matrix of indicators "QualiAPS Digital-Brazil" introduces a set of 37 indicators, distributed into three distinct components and their respective dimensions. The component "Structure" includes the dimension "Resources"; the component "Processes" includes the dimensions "Technical," "Organizational" and "Relational"; and the component "Results" includes the dimensions "Short-Term Results" and "Medium-Term Results." The general values obtained for CVI and IRR were 0.89 and 1.00; respectively. Therefore, it was possible to design assessment scripts and indicate qualitative data collection techniques for assessing digital health in Brazilian PHC. Conclusion: The instrument presented was validated regarding its relevance, content and theoretical support to evaluate the quality of digital health care, supporting decision-making by managers and health professionals in the search for improving remote primary care provided to the population.

Digital home care interventions and quality of primary care for older adults: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Population aging is forcing the transformation of health care. Long-term care in the home is complex and involves complex communication with primary care services. In this scenario, the expansion of digital health has the potential to improve access to home-based primary care; however, the use of technologies can increase inequalities in access to health for an important part of the population. The aim of this study was to identify and map the uses and types of digital health interventions and their impacts on the quality of home-based primary care for older adults. METHODS: This is a broad and systematized scoping review with rigorous synthesis of knowledge directed by the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). The quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, and the qualitative data were analyzed through basic qualitative content analysis, considering the organizational, relational, interpersonal and technical dimensions of care. The preliminary results were subjected to consultation with stakeholders to identify strengths and limitations, as well as potential forms of socialization. RESULTS: The mapping showed the distribution of publications in 18 countries and in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. Older adults have benefited from the use of different digital health strategies; however, this review also addresses limitations and challenges, such as the need for digital literacy and technological infrastructure. In addition to the impacts of technologies on the quality of health care. CONCLUSIONS: The review gathered priority themes for the equitable implementation of digital health, such as access to home caregivers and digital tools, importance of digital literacy and involvement of patients and their caregivers in health decisions and design of technologies, which must be prioritized to overcome limitations and challenges, focusing on improving quality of life, shorter hospitalization time and autonomy of older adults.

Shelf-Life Management and Ripening Assessment of 'Hass' Avocado (Persea americana) Using Deep Learning Approaches.

Avocado production is mostly confined to tropical and subtropical regions, leading to lengthy distribution channels that, coupled with their unpredictable post-harvest behavior, render avocados susceptible to significant loss and waste. To enhance the monitoring of 'Hass' avocado ripening, a data-driven tool was developed using a deep learning approach. This study involved monitoring 478 avocados stored in three distinct storage environments, using a 5-stage Ripening Index to classify each fruit's ripening phase based on their shared characteristics. These categories were paired with daily photographic records of the avocados, resulting in a database of labeled images. Two convolutional neural network models, AlexNet and ResNet-18, were trained using transfer learning techniques to identify distinct ripening indicators, enabling the prediction of ripening stages and shelf-life estimations for new unseen data. The approach achieved a final prediction accuracy of 88.8% for the ripening assessment, with 96.7% of predictions deviating by no more than half a stage from their actual classifications when considering the best side of the samples. The average shelf-life estimates based on the attributed classifications were within 0.92 days of the actual shelf-life, whereas the predictions made by the models had an average deviation of 0.96 days from the actual shelf-life.

Machine learning determines stemness associated with simple and basal-like canine mammary carcinomas.

Simple and complex carcinomas are the most common type of malignant Canine Mammary Tumors (CMTs), with simple carcinomas exhibiting aggressive behavior and poorer prognostic. Stemness is an ability associated with cancer initiation, malignancy, and therapeutic resistance, but is still few elucidated in canine mammary tumor subtypes. Here, we first validated, using CMT samples, a previously published canine one-class logistic regression machine learning algorithm (OCLR) to predict stemness (mRNAsi) in canine cancer cells. Then, using the canine mRNAsi, we observed that simple carcinomas exhibit higher stemness than complex carcinomas and other histological subtypes. Also, we confirmed that stemness is higher and associated with basal-like CMTs and with NMF2 metagene signature, a tumor-specific DNA-repair metagene signature. Using correlation analysis, we selected the top 50 genes correlated with higher stemness, and the top 50 genes correlated with lower stemness and further performed a gene set enrichment analysis to observe the biological processes enriched for these genes. Finally, we suggested two promise stemness-associated targets in CMTs, POLA2 and APEX1, especially in simple carcinomas. Thus, our work elucidates stemness as a potential mechanism behind the aggressiveness and development of canine mammary tumors, especially in simple carcinomas, describing evidence of a promising strategy to target this disease.

Screening for diminished ovarian reserve in Portugal: a cost-saving answer to shorten the fertility journey.

Aim: Assess the budget impact of nationwide screening for diminished ovarian reserve (OR), via anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels, to the Portugal National Health System (NHS). Patients & methods: The clinical journey was determined using literature and the family planning decision-making process/response using survey results. A panel of four local clinicians validated all assumptions/inputs. Results: Screening for OR led to an expected savings of € 9.4 million for the NHS, driven by a 24% reduction in medically assisted reproduction (MAR) use. When needed, referral for MAR was earlier and more women used first-line versus second-line techniques. The model estimated a 12% decrease in failure. Conclusion: This model shows AMH screening may allow more informed decisions, leading to a shorter fertility journey, more efficient use of treatments, and substantial cost-savings for the NHS.

Acompanhamento dermatológico de enfermagem na estratégia saúde da família: um relato de experiência / Dermatological nursing care in the family health strategy: an experience report / Cuidados de enfermería dermatológica en la estrategia de salud familiar: informe de una experiencia

O desenvolvimento de lesões por pressão vem sendo um tema bastante discutido dentro e fora do âmbito hospitalar, sendo considerado um indicador de qualidade da assistência hospitalar, quando o aparecimento ocorre mediante uma internação. Cabe ao enfermeiro o acompanhamento dermatológico, avaliação e prescrição de coberturas e correlatos, consoante o estágio da lesão por pressão. Por esta razão, este estudo teve como objetivo descrever a experiência de graduandos de enfermagem durante acompanhamento dermatológico de uma pessoa idosa. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo do tipo relato de experiência realizado entre os meses de fevereiro e maio de 2021. Através da experiência relatada neste estudo, foi possível compreender a complexidade e relevância do cuidado humanizado, e os desafios enfrentados pelo enfermeiro da Estratégia Saúde da Família nos cuidados à pessoa idosa com lesão por pressão. Do ponto de vista acadêmico, essa experiência proporcionou aos alunos confrontar os conhecimentos teóricos acerca do assunto, além de incorporar a importância do olhar holístico para o usuário.

The development of pressure injuries has been a much discussed topic inside and outside the hospital environment, being considered an indicator of the quality of hospital care when the appearance occurs during hospitalization. The trained nurse is responsible for dermatological follow-up, evaluation and prescription of dressings and related items, depending on the stage of the pressure injury. For this reason, this study aimed to describe the experience of nursing students during the dermatological follow-up of an elderly person. This is a descriptive study of the experience report type carried out between the months of February and May 2021. Through the experience reported in this study, it was possible to understand the complexity and relevance of humanized care, and the challenges faced by nurses in the Health Strategy of the Family in the care of the elderly with pressure injuries. From an academic point of view, this experience allowed students to confront theoretical knowledge about the subject, in addition to incorporating the importance of a holistic view for the user.

El desarrollo de las lesiones por presión ha sido un tema muy discutido dentro y fuera del ámbito hospitalario, siendo considerado un indicador de la calidad de la atención hospitalaria cuando su aparición ocurre durante la hospitalización. La enfermera capacitada es responsable del seguimiento dermatológico, evaluación y prescripción de apósitos y artículos relacionados, según la etapa de la lesión por presión. Por eso, este estudio tuvo como objetivo describir la experiencia de estudiantes de enfermería durante el seguimiento dermatológico de una persona mayor. Se trata de un estudio descriptivo del tipo relato de experiencia realizado entre los meses de febrero y mayo de 2021. A través de la experiencia relatada en este estudio fue posible comprender la complejidad y relevancia del cuidado humanizado, y los desafíos enfrentados por los enfermeros en el Estrategia Salud de la Familia en el cuidado del anciano con lesiones por presión. Desde el punto de vista académico, esta experiencia permitió a los estudiantes confrontar conocimientos teóricos sobre el tema, además de incorporar la importancia de una mirada holística para el usuario.

A Screening of Epigenetic Therapeutic Targets for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Reveals PADI4 and KDM6B as Promising Candidates.

Despite advances in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for lung cancer, new therapies targeting metastasis by the specific regulation of cancer genes are needed. In this study, we screened a small library of epigenetic inhibitors in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines and evaluated 38 epigenetic targets for their potential role in metastatic NSCLC. The potential candidates were ranked by a streamlined approach using in silico and in vitro experiments based on publicly available databases and evaluated by real-time qPCR target gene expression, cell viability and invasion assays, and transcriptomic analysis. The survival rate of patients with lung adenocarcinoma is inversely correlated with the gene expression of eight epigenetic targets, and a systematic review of the literature confirmed that four of them have already been identified as targets for the treatment of NSCLC. Using nontoxic doses of the remaining inhibitors, KDM6B and PADI4 were identified as potential targets affecting the invasion and migration of metastatic lung cancer cell lines. Transcriptomic analysis of KDM6B and PADI4 treated cells showed altered expression of important genes related to the metastatic process. In conclusion, we showed that KDM6B and PADI4 are promising targets for inhibiting the metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma cancer cells.

Effects of trying to conceive using an every-other-day strategy versus fertile window monitoring on stress: a 12-month randomized controlled trial.

STUDY QUESTION: Can animation videos on how to optimize the chances of pregnancy influence stress, anxiety, depression and sexual functioning of individuals trying to conceive (TTC)? SUMMARY ANSWER: There were no differences between those educated to have intercourse every other day, on the fertile window and a control group (CG), and depression and sexual dysfunction significantly increased over time for all arms. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Recent findings indicate that time to pregnancy can be significantly shortened by targeting the fertile period, but some reproductive care guidelines recommend instead the practice of intercourse every other day on the basis that it is less stressful to the couple. Evidence to support guidelines on how to preserve well-being and psychosocial adjustment and optimize pregnancy chances is lacking. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: We conducted a prospective, double-blinded, three-arm randomized controlled trial between July 2016 and November 2019. Participants were randomized to either not having any stimulus (CG) or visualizing a short animated video explaining how to improve chances of pregnancy by having intercourse every other day (EOD group), or by monitoring the fertile window (FWM group). Assessments were made before the intervention (T0), and 6 weeks (T1), 6 months (T2) and 12 months after (T3), with follow-ups censored in case of pregnancy. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Participants were childless individuals of reproductive age actively TTC and not diagnosed or unaware of a condition that could prevent spontaneous pregnancy. Individuals were excluded from recruitment if they had previous children or had a condition preventing spontaneous pregnancy. Our primary outcome was stress and secondary outcomes included anxiety, depression, sexual functioning and pregnancy. Primary analyses were performed according to intention-to-treat principle. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Of the 450 randomized participants 127 were educated to use an every-other-day strategy, 135 to monitor the fertile window, and 134 received no intervention. Groups were similar regarding demographics and months TTC. Repeated measures analysis revealed that there were no significant interaction effects of psychological and sexual well-being between groups over time (P > 0.05). Significant time effects were revealed for stress (F(3,855) = 4.94, P < 0.01), depression (F(3,855) = 14.22, P < 0.01) and sexual functioning (time effects P values <0.001 for female sexual functioning dimensions and <0.002 for male dimensions), but not for anxiety (F(2,299) = 0.51, P > 0.05). Stress levels lowered after 6 months (P < 0.001) and returned to baseline levels at the 1-year follow-up. Depressive symptomatology significantly increased at 6 weeks (P = 0.023), and again 1 year after (P = 0.001). There were also significant decreases in all female sexual functioning dimensions (desire, satisfaction, arousal, pain, orgasm and lubrication). In men, there were significant variations in orgasm, intercourse satisfaction and erectile function, but not desire and sexual satisfaction. Revealed pregnancy rates were 16% for participants in the EOD group, 30% for the FWM group and 20% for the CG. Pregnancies were not significantly different between arms: EOD vs FWM (odds ratio (OR) 2.32; 95% CI 0.92-5.83); EOD vs CG (OR 0.74; 95% CI 0.30-1.87); and FWM vs CG (OR 1.71; 95% CI 0.70-4.18). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Participants were recruited after transitioning to procreative sex. The study might be prone to bias as almost 30% of our sample fulfilled the chronological criterion for infertility, and other reproductive strategies could have been tried over time before recruitment. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Our data suggest that stress does not arise from feeling pressured on the fertile period and that advice on timing of intercourse might have to be personalized. The increasing levels of depression and sexual dysfunction over a year emphasize the crucial role of preconception care and fertility counseling in promoting psychological and sexual well-being. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This work was supported by European Union Funds (FEDER/COMPETE-Operational Competitiveness Programme) and by national funds (FCT-Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) under the projects PTDC/MHC-PSC/4195/2012 and SFRH/BPD/85789/2012. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02814006. TRIAL REGISTRATION DATE: 27 June 2016. DATE OF FIRST PATIENT'S ENROLLMENT: 19 July 2016.

Identification of eQTLs and differential gene expression associated with fetal programming in beef cattle.

This study assessed differential gene expression and identified expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) from samples of Longissimus lumborum muscle from bulls at 15 months of age submitted to different prenatal nutrition. Upon confirmation of pregnancy, 126 dams were separated into three diet treatments varying the period of inclusion of energy protein supplementation (NP, PP, and FP). At calving, 63 males were genotyped with GGP LD BeadChip. The skeletal muscle of 15 bulls was sequenced (RNA-seq) at 15 months of age. The EdgeR package was used for differential gene expression and principal component analysis (PCA), and the Matrix eQTL package was used for the eQTLs analysis (R statistical). The functional enrichment analysis was performed using the MetaCore® software. No genes differentially expressed were found between treatments (FDR > 0.05); nevertheless, we found 179 cis-tag-eQTLs and 20,762 trans-tag-eQTLs (FDR < 0.05) after linkage disequilibrium analysis. The functional enrichment analysis identified terms from gene ontology related to genes associated to trans-eQTLs (FDR < 0.05) as well as metabolic pathways (> gScore). Most biological pathways and genes found had been previously associated to fetal programming. The different prenatal supplementation strategies did not impact on muscle transcriptome of bulls. Additionally, there is a link between genotype and gene expression levels related to developmental traits in Nellore cattle.

Digital health interventions and quality of home-based primary care for older adults: A scoping review protocol.

Introduction: The use of digital health interventions has expanded, particularly in home-based primary care (HBPC), following the increase in the older adult population and the need to respond to the higher demand of chronic conditions, weakness and loss of autonomy of this population. There was an even greater demand with COVID-19 and subsequent isolation/social distancing measures for this risk group. The objective of this study is to map and identify the uses and types of digital health interventions and their reported impacts on the quality of HBPC for older adults worldwide. Methods and analysis: This is a scoping review protocol which will enable a rigorous, transparent and reliable synthesis of knowledge. The review will be developed from the theoretical perspective of Arksey and O'malley, with updates by Levac and Peters and respective collaborators based on the Joanna Briggs Institute manual, and guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Data from white literature will be extracted from multidisciplinary health databases such as: the Virtual Health Library, LILACS, MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cinahl and Embase; while Google Scholar will be used for gray literature. No date limit or language restrictions will be determined. The quantitative data will be analyzed through descriptive statistics and qualitative data through thematic analysis. The results will be submitted to stakeholder consultation for preliminary sharing of the study and will later be disseminated through publication in open access scientific journals, scientific events and academic and community journals. The full scoping review report will present the main impacts, challenges, opportunities and gaps found in publications related to the use of digital technologies in primary home care. Discussion: The organization of this protocol will increase the methodological rigor, quality, transparency and accuracy of scoping reviews, reducing the risk of bias.

Effectiveness of a video-based education on fertility awareness: a randomized controlled trial with partnered women.

Fertility awareness (FA) among young people is low. Fertility awareness interventions have been found to contribute to increase FA in the short-term. The long-term effectiveness of FA interventions on childless and presumed fertile people, committed in a heterosexual relationship and wishing to have children in the near future is not known. In a double-blind parallel randomized controlled trial conducted between 2016 and 2018, 652 childless partnered women were randomized to either watch a 5-min video about fertility (IG: 'Intervention Group') or to not receive any intervention (CG: 'Control Group'). Participants filled out an online questionnaire at the start of the study (and in the IG group immediately before intervention). They then completed the questionnaire after 1 month, 6 months and 1 year. The questionnaire assessed FA and intentions to adopt fertility-protective behaviours. In the IG, FA levels were found to increase at 1 month post-intervention. However, significant interaction effects between group and time were only found for four out of the seven FA variables at the 6-month and 1-year follow-up. No effects were found for: (i) intentions to adopt fertility-protective behaviours; or (ii) desired timing of pregnancy. These results suggest that the fertility video intervention seems to partially increase FA in the long term. Future studies should investigate the effectiveness of different intervention formats with a focus on overcoming high attrition rates.

Expression of LIN28A/B and Let-7 miRNAs in canine mammary carcinomas / Expressão de LIN28A/B e Let-7 miRNAs em carcinomas mamários caninos

LIN28 is a RNA-binding protein including two highly conserved homologous, LIN28A and LIN28B. Proto-oncogenes such as LIN28A and LIN28B are generally targeted by the let-7 miRNAs in different types of human cancers. Here, we determined the expression of LIN28A in canine mammary tumor samples and the LIN28/let-7 pathway in canine mammary cell lines. In those cell lines, we identified a functional LIN28/let-7 pathway which exhibited high expression of let-7 members and low expression of its targets, including LIN28A and LIN28B. However, the mammary carcinoma tissue samples showed a frequent expression of LIN28A being expressed mainly in the epithelial cells. No association was observed between LIN28A expression and histopathological classification and grade, TNM and survival time. Our results suggested a possible role of the LIN28A protein in the development of canine mammary carcinomas due to the high frequency observed in the tumor samples (28 of 32). The in vitro experiments suggested that the LIN28/let-7 pathway is active in the tumor cells evaluated. However, more studies are necessary to elucidate the exact role of LIN28/let-7 pathway in canine mammary carcinomas.

LIN28 é uma proteína de ligação ao RNA, com duas formas homólogas altamente conservadas, LIN28A e LIN28B. Os proto-oncogenes LIN28A e LIN28B são regulados pela família de miRNAs let-7 em diferentes tipos de cânceres em humanos. No presente trabalho, o objetivo foi determinar a expressão de LIN28A em amostras de tumor mamário de cadelas e a via LIN28/let-7 em linhagens celulares mamárias caninas. Nestas linhagens, através das técnicas de qPCR e RNAseq, foi identificado que a via LIN28/let-7 apresenta-se funcional, com alta expressão dos membros da família let-7 e baixa expressão de seus alvos, entre eles LIN28A e LIN28B. No entanto, as amostras de tecidos de carcinomas mamários caninos demonstraram expressão frequente de LIN28A, sendo observada principalmente em células epiteliais. Não foram observadas associações entre expressão de LIN28A com classificação e gradação histopatológicas, TNM e tempo de sobrevida. Nossos resultados sugerem uma possível relação da proteína LIN28A no desenvolvimento de carcinomas mamários caninos devido à alta frequência observada nas amostras tumorais (28 de 32). Os experimentos in vitro sugerem que a via LIN28/let-7 é ativa nas linhagens celulares caninas avaliadas. Entretanto, estudos funcionais ainda são necessários para elucidar a função exata da via LIN28/let-7 nos carcinomas mamários caninos.

Intercellular interactions between mast cells and stromal fibroblasts obtained from canine cutaneous mast cell tumours.

Mast cell tumours (MCTs) are the most frequent malignant skin neoplasm in dogs. Due to the difficulty in purifying large numbers of canine neoplastic mast cells, relatively little is known about their properties. A reproducible in vitro model is needed to increase the understanding about the phenotype and functional properties of neoplastic mast cells. In the present study, we describe the establishment of primary cocultures of neoplastic mast cells from canine cutaneous MCTs and cancer-associated fibroblasts. We confirmed the inability of canine neoplastic mast cells to remain viable for long periods in vitro without the addition of growth factors or in vivo passages in mice. Using a transwell system, we observed that mast cell viability was significantly higher when there is cell-to-cell contact in comparison to non-physical contact conditions and that mast cell viability was significantly higher in high-grade than in low-grade derived primary cultures. Moreover, the use of conditioned medium from co-cultured cells led to a significantly higher tumoral mast cell viability when in monoculture. Signalling mechanisms involved in these interactions might be attractive therapeutic targets to block canine MCT progression and deserve more in-depth investigations.

Oncolytic effect of Newcastle disease virus is attributed to interferon regulation in canine mammary cancer cell lines.

Canine mammary carcinoma (CMC) is one of the major health threats in dogs. The oncolytic virotherapy is a promising strategy to treat canine as well as human cancer patients with non-pathogenic replicating viruses. Here, we evaluated the antitumor activity of one lentogenic, non-lytic Newcastle disease virus (NDV) LaSota strain expressing GFP (NDV-GFP) on five different CMCs and one non-tumorigenic cell line, regarding cell viability, cell death, selectivity index, morphology, global and target gene expression analysis. As evidenced by the selectivity index, all CMC cell lines were more susceptible to NDV-GFP in comparison with the non-tumorigenic cells (~3.1× to ~78.7×). In addition, the oncolytic effect of NDV-GFP was more evident in more malignant CMC cells. Also, we observed an inverse association of the IFN pathway expression and the susceptibility to NDV. The downregulated genes in NDV-GFP-sensitive cells were functionally enriched for antiviral mechanisms by interferon and immune system pathways, demonstrating that these mechanisms are the most prominent for oncolysis by NDV. To our knowledge, this is the first description of oncolysis by an NDV strain in canine mammary cancer cells. We also demonstrated specific molecular pathways related to NDV susceptibility in these cancer cells, opening the possibility to use NDV as a therapeutic-targeted option for more malignant CMCs. Therefore, these results urge for more studies using oncolytic NDVs, especially considering genetic editing to improve efficacy in dogs.

Perceived Threat of Infertility and Women's Intention to Anticipate Childbearing: The Mediating Role of Personally Perceived Barriers and Facilitators.

To study the role of perceived threat of infertility, barriers, and facilitators in intention to anticipate childbearing, a cross-sectional study was conducted with 240 women desiring to have children and committed in a heterosexual relationship. Participants answered an online survey between July 2016 and February 2018. Results showed that perceiving infertility as a strong barrier and being willing to use fertility treatment as a facilitator fully mediated the effect of perceived threat on intention to anticipate childbearing. In conclusion, women who perceive themselves at risk of being infertile will consider, to a higher degree, infertility as a strong barrier to achieve their reproductive life plan or will report higher willingness to use fertility treatments, which in turn would increase intentions to anticipate childbearing. Since evidence showed lack of fertility awareness, intervention initiatives should target these mediators.

Epigenetic Mechanisms in Canine Cancer.

A plethora of data has highlighted the role of epigenetics in the development of cancer. Initiation and progression of different cancer types are associated with a variety of changes of epigenetic mechanisms, including aberrant DNA methylation, histone modifications, and miRNA expression. At the same time, advances in the available epigenetic tools allow to investigate and reverse these epigenetic changes and form the basis for the development of anticancer drugs in human oncology. Although human and canine cancer shares several common features, only recently that studies emerged investigating the epigenetic landscape in canine cancer and applying epigenetic modulators to canine cancer. This review focuses on the existing studies involving epigenetic changes in different types of canine cancer and the use of small-molecule inhibitors in canine cancer cells.

Flow cytometric analysis from fish samples stored at low, ultra-low and cryogenic temperatures.

Flow cytometry is a valuable tool in biomedical and animal sciences. However, equipment used for such analysis presents limitations at field conditions, suggesting then preservation procedures for future analysis at laboratory conditions. In this study, freezing at low (-20 °C), ultra-low (-80 °C) and cryogenic temperatures (-196 °C, i.e. liquid nitrogen) were used as preservation procedures of fish tissue. Samples were maintained in 0.9% NaCl or lysing solution, and stored at the temperatures above for 0 (fresh control), 60, 120 and 180 days of storage. After storage, the samples were thawed and proceeded to flow cytometric analysis. Storage at low temperatures (-20 °C), both in lysing and 0.9% NaCl, exhibited poor results when analyzed after 60, 120 and 180 days, showing noisy peaks, deviation in the DNA content and absence of peaks. Ultralow (-80 °C) and cryogenic (-196 °C) temperatures, both in lysing solution and 0.9% NaCl, showed good results and high quality of histograms. Both storage procedures gave similar histograms and DNA content in comparison with control group (fresh) even after 60, 120 and 180 days of storage, exhibiting the main peak at 2C content from diploid cells and a secondary peak at 4C derived from dividing cells. In conclusion, samples may be stored for 180 days at -80 °C and -196 °C in both, 0.9% NaCl or lysing solution. As cryogenic temperatures in liquid nitrogen permits indefinite storage, this procedure should be used for long-term preservation.

COVID-19 and assisted reproductive technology services: repercussions for patients and proposal for individualized clinical management.

The prolonged lockdown of health services providing high-complexity fertility treatments -as currently recommended by many reproductive medicine entities- is detrimental for society as a whole, and infertility patients in particular. Globally, approximately 0.3% of all infants born every year are conceived using assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments. By contrast, the total number of COVID-19 deaths reported so far represents approximately 1.0% of the total deaths expected to occur worldwide over the first three months of the current year. It seems, therefore, that the number of infants expected to be conceived and born -but who will not be so due to the lockdown of infertility services- might be as significant as the total number of deaths attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. We herein propose remedies that include a prognostic-stratification of more vulnerable infertility cases in order to plan a progressive restart of worldwide fertility treatments. At a time when preventing complications and limiting burdens for national health systems represent relevant issues, our viewpoint might help competent authorities and health care providers to identify patients who should be prioritized for the continuation of fertility care in a safe environment.